Fine Lines
by AngelQueen
Summary: Amazons are an immortal and hardened people. It's almost impossible to kill them. What happens when Diana of Themyscira dies... but doesn't travel into the Underworld? BMWW UST.
1. Tragedy

**Disclaimer:** _Justice League Unlimited_ and all associated themes and characters are property of Bruce Timm and his band of brilliant cohorts. I make no claim on them and write this purely for my own entertainment and that of others. No currency changes hands. Also, _Star Trek: Voyager_ is property of Gene Roddenberry and Paramount.

**Notes:** I wrote this basing it in part on the _Star Trek: Voyager_ episode _Coda_, so those who have seen it should recognize some of the concepts in this story. I would also like to thank The-Lady-Isis, who agreed to beta this story and came up with some really amazing ideas to make this story better. If you haven't read any of her stories, I heartily urge you to do so. They're fabulous. A link to her profile can be found under the Favorite Authors tab in my own profile.

****Additional Note:**** If my writing a story based on the _Voyager_ episode I mention above offends you, please, don't bother reading the story. I've had that note up since I first started posting the story, and yet I have already gotten slammed twice for writing the story the way I have. I have no desire to be flamed for not doing something that I actually did. Plus, I'd like to note that neither reviewer wrote a signed review, so I cannot reply to them. Honestly people, if something bothers you, write a signed review so I can reply and we can have a civilized discussion. Thank you.

Batman: Shouldn't you also ask them where the hell they've been if they haven't read her stories?  
Diana: Some things shouldn't be said aloud.  
AQ: I was being polite, now on with the show!

* * *

**Fine Lines**

Diana of Themyscira kept her eyes strictly ahead as she piloted a Javelin through the earthen skies. Her lips, however, kept twitching upward into a smile.

"Stop that," her companion snapped, though with little heat in his voice.

Now she did grin. "Oh, stop sulking about it, Bruce. You should be flattered. Audrey was only teasing you."

Bruce Wayne, known more notoriously as the Batman of Gotham City, grunted and looked out the window. Were he almost any other man, Diana thought he would have slumped down in the copilot's chair and folded his arms across his chest defensively.

The two of them were returning from a visit to Kasnia at the request of Queen Audrey to take part in the fifth anniversary of her ascension to the throne. Batman had been reluctant to go, was always disinclined to put himself in the public eye any more than necessary, but Diana had convinced him to go, if for nothing more than the continued good relations between Kasnia and the Justice League.

Of course, Diana _may_ have flirted a little with him as part of her pitch, but just how much that played a part in his acceptance, if any, was known to Bruce alone.

The celebrations were scheduled to last a week, an amount of time neither Batman nor Wonder Woman could afford to take away from their respective duties, but they had agreed to attend the final two days. The short period of downtime was something of a relief for Diana. Since Darkseid's invasion, the League had been quite busy with missions both on and off-world.

Their time in Kasnia, however brief, was long enough for Audrey to give them her undivided attention. Diana was able to meet her friend's latest…companion, one Nicodemus Omasin. Fortunately, thanks to Bruce's digging beforehand for any unpleasant information about the man, Diana found him to be a kind, pleasant person who was surprisingly the exact opposite of the spirited and vivacious Audrey. Audrey had hinted that she was serious about the quiet and thoughtful Nicodemus, and Diana wished her friend the best. The girl had matured a great deal since they had first met in Paris, but had still retained much of her wild, fun-loving personality. If happiness for Audrey lay in a life with Nicodemus, then Diana believed that Audrey should follow her instincts.

Nonetheless, even if Audrey was devoted to her current lover, it had not stopped her from taking many opportunities to tease the silent hero who often stood a few feet behind Diana, a perpetual scowl on his masked face. The last incident before Diana and Bruce had departed from Kasnia included a piece of fruit in Audrey's manicured hand and a few choice words in Kasnian that Diana did not understand, but wanted dearly to know, if the faint blush on the uncovered part of Bruce's face was anything to go by. Still, lack of understanding had not kept her from gaining amusement from seeing Bruce so flustered.

A flash of light out of the corner of her eye caught Diana's attention. Glancing to her left briefly, she commented, "Looks like a storm's brewing."

Bruce tapped a few of the controls. After a few seconds, he said, "International weather stations are reporting a tropical storm off the coast of Florida and Georgia. We should change course to avoid it."

Diana nodded and began to change their flight path. Once they were flying steady toward their destination – Metropolis – again, she asked, "Audrey's teasing aside, you did have some fun, didn't you?"

He paused for several seconds before admitting grudgingly, "I've been to worse parties."

_High praise, coming from him,_ she thought with a small grin. Diana opened her mouth to reply when another flash lit up the sky. This one, however, also hit the Javelin, rocking the aircraft. Her restraints kept her from being tossed about the cockpit like a limp doll, but her head was jerked about violently, wrenching her neck. Diana pushed the pain aside, however, and struggled to focus on keeping the Javelin on-course for the mainland of the United States as well as addressing the shrill alarms coming from the console.

"We've lost main power," she shouted. "Switch to auxiliary."

"The transfer protocols aren't responding," Bruce responded as his fingers flew over the console. "Neither are the emergency back-ups!"

Diana clenched her teeth. "We're losing altitude," she forced out as she fought to keep the Javelin from plowing into the ocean nose first.

"There's land about a mile ahead," Bruce told her, "can you keep her in the air that long?"

"It'll be close, but I think so." Her fingers clenched the steering mechanism tightly, and her arm muscles trembled with the effort of keeping the aircraft steady. The Javelin was shaking apart around them and Diana was certain she detected the acrid smell of smoke in the air. A trickle of sweat was slipping down her brow, but she dared not move to wipe it away.

The coastline was fast approaching. _Come on,_ she thought desperately, _just a little further…_

They made it, in the end, but only barely. Their dropping in altitude sent them screaming into the treetops. Just when they hit, Diana was thrown forward and she could hear the restraints ripping. Another flash and then all went black.

* * *

The crash knocked Bruce senseless for several minutes. When he came to, he quickly took stock of his body. He was sore as hell, but nothing felt broken. Opening his eyes, he looked immediately ahead and saw nothing but leaves and tree limbs outside the shattered cockpit window.

_Wait a minute…_ Where was the pilot's seat? For that matter, where was the pilot?

_Diana!_

Bruce reacted immediately. Pulling himself loose from his battered restraints, he shuffled forward, looking for the missing seat and its occupant. The shattered glass all around him was the first and most obvious clue. Ignoring the sinking feeling in his gut, Bruce crawled forward over the console and broken glass covering it. He didn't have far to go to see it.

The pilot's seat was stuck in a web of branches. Diana was slumped forward, dangling there limply and held back from falling only by the frayed restraints. There was no movement indicating that she was conscious.

_Shit._ Bruce likely would need the first-aid kit, but it was further back into the Javelin and he had no idea how much longer the restraints would hold Diana in place. Still, the kit would do no good if Diana fell to her death. He'd get her down to the ground and then climb back up for the necessary equipment.

Fighting through the jagged remains of the cockpit window, Bruce carefully climbed into the tree branches toward Diana. Her hair hung about her face like a curtain. He pushed his hand through it and ran his fingers over her neck, habitually checking for a pulse.

Nothing.

Blinking, Bruce checked again. Still nothing.

"Diana?" He leaned forward close to her face, trying to get a feel of the air passing between her parted lips. Nothing there either.

_No… oh no…_

Moving rapidly, Bruce released the restraints and gathered the Amazon into his arms. He quickly jumped through the branches toward the ground. Not even bothering to get away from standing directly beneath the Javelin, he laid Diana down and felt again for a pulse and breathing. Yet again, nothing.

_No…_

Bruce could feel himself going through the motions of CPR, the chest compressions, the mouth-to-mouth. He kept checking, but still nothing changed. Diana remained still and unresponsive.

Diana's heart had stopped, and it wasn't starting up again.


	2. Repetition

**Fine Lines**

A flash of light out of the corner of her eye caught Diana's attention. Glancing to her left briefly, she commented, "Looks like a storm's brewing."

Bruce tapped a few of the controls. After a few seconds, he said, "International weather stations are reporting a tropical storm off the coast of Florida and Georgia. We should change course to avoid it."

Diana nodded and began to change their flight path. Once they were flying steady toward their destination – Metropolis – again, she asked, "Audrey's teasing aside, you did have some fun, didn't you?"

He paused for several seconds before admitting grudgingly, "I've been to worse parties."

_High praise_… Diana blinked, suddenly feeling disoriented.

"You okay?" Bruce asked, having sensed her sudden distraction.

"I think so," she replied, "I just felt strange for a moment. This all felt familiar, like we'd done it before."

"Déjà –"

An explosion rocked the Javelin, ending all further conversation. Diana worked with Bruce to keep the craft in the air until they reached the coastline. Her hands were lined with sweat and she could feel the controls slipping.

Diana's eyes widened. "Bruce –" she started, but she was too late. The controls slid through her clenched and aching fingers.

The reaction was immediate and the Javelin plowed into the beach nose first. The wings were wrenched from the main body, which slid along the sand for several yards before coming to a stop.

Diana groaned and struggled to release her restraints. "B-Bruce?" She turned around to see him also working to free himself. Blood was trickling from both his mouth and his nose.

"We've got to get out of here. The fuel tanks are leaking." His voice is muffled and nasal due to the damage to his nose.

Diana nodded and lurched out of her chair. Ignoring the pain shooting through her legs and back, she grabbed Bruce's arm and threw it around her shoulders. She could smell the fuel and the smoke. She did not have much time.

The explosions started just before they reached the exit. Her eyes widening, Diana hurriedly punched the damaged doors open. That was when an explosion ripped through the innards of the Javelin.

The last thing Diana saw was Bruce being launched clear of the burning aircraft.

* * *

A flash of light out of the corner of her eye caught Diana's attention. Glancing to her left briefly, she commented, "Looks like a storm's brewing."

Bruce tapped a few of the controls. After a few seconds, he said, "International weather stations are reporting a tropical storm off the coast of Florida and Georgia. We should change… course to…"

Diana's mind was flooded with images more quickly this time. She didn't even have to look at Bruce to know he was experiencing the same thing.

"Don't change course," he snapped, even as she came to the same conclusion. "Better to brave a storm than whatever is waiting for us if we do go further north."

She nodded. "What is happening?" she asked as she drove the Javelin toward a dark and stormy horizon.

"I'm not sure," Bruce replied. "Some kind of time-loop, perhaps. We've relived the same –"

Yet again, an explosion rocked the Javelin, only this one seemed even worse. No matter what Diana did, the Javelin went beyond her control and they plowed nose first into the ocean. The impact tore the ship – and everything in it – to pieces.

* * *

The words "Looks like a storm's brewing" were barely out of Diana's mouth before she realized what was wrong. "The time-loop has started again." Tapping a few of the controls, Diana swung the Javelin upward. "Heading toward the Watchtower," she said, "we can run diagnostics on the ship from there and take the transporter or another Javelin back to Earth."

"Agreed. I'll contact the Watchtower, let them know we're making an emergency stop," Bruce said. Making a few adjustments to his console, he spoke again. "Batman to Watchtower; come in Watchtower."

"_Watch… receiv… man. Can ba… hear…"_

"Copy that, switching to alternate frequency," he told them. After he did so, Diana listened to him begin to explain the situation when the Javelin gave a fierce shudder. It ceased its steep ascent into orbit and began to fall back from whence it came.

"At this trajectory we're going to burn up in the atmosphere," she said in frustration.

"Watchtower, beam us from Javelin VII immediately!" Bruce shouted into the comm link.

"_Repeat…not c…"_

_Too late,_ Diana thought angrily. "What is happen –"

This time the Javelin was incinerated on re-entry through the atmosphere.

* * *

"_Diana!"_

Her eyes shot open and she gasped in the air greedily. Instinctively, she rolled onto her side to avoid choking on anything. After several seconds of trying to calm herself, Diana looked up at Bruce, who was staring down at her worriedly.

"Are you all right?" He asked. "Your heart stopped."

She slowly sat up, answering, "I… think so." She glanced around in confusion. She could have sworn. "Weren't we just on the Javelin? Trying to make it to the Watchtower?" she asked him.

He stared at her. "What are you talking about? We crashed here, Diana. The impact threw you out of the Javelin completely."

Diana blinked. She could have _sworn_…

Bruce shook his head. "Don't worry about it for now," he told her. "We've got to contact the Watchtower." He paused, studying her. "You should get looked at when we get back."

Diana didn't argue with him.

Bruce stood up and started to climb back up the tree toward the Javelin, prompting Diana to get up and follow him. A wave of dizziness hit her as she made it to her feet, but she pushed it back and started to climb. By the time Diana managed to get back into the Javelin, Bruce was already working at the emergency communication systems in the back.

"Batman to Watchtower; come in Watchtower."

Diana shivered.

"_This is Watchtower, we read you, Batman."_

"Javelin VII suffered catastrophic system failure and was forced to crash land on the coast of the United States. Are the transporters still down?"

"_Yes. The technicians are working, but say they won't have them back up for another day or so."_

"Fine," he said. "Track this signal and send a Javelin to extract me and Wonder Woman. Also, alert the infirmary. Wonder Woman suffered injuries that stopped her heart, though she was resuscitated with CPR."

There was a definite pause before Mr. Terrific responded, _"Acknowledged, Batman. Green Lantern and Vixen are boarding Javelin IV now. They will be at your location in twenty."_

"Good. Batman out."

Once the channel was closed, Bruce turned to look at Diana. He opened his mouth, but was cut off by a violent heave from the Javelin. Metal screeched in protest as the aircraft began to fall from the trees.

Diana's eyes widened, but she reacted without delay. Grabbing Bruce in her arms, she flew out the way they came, ignoring the branches scratching at her skin and hair. They made it clear just as the Javelin crashed hard to the ground.

Choosing to land several yards away in case the aircraft caught fire – _again_, she thought to herself – Diana put Bruce back on his feet. "That was close," she said.

Bruce didn't answer, just nodded.

Diana sat down and leaned against a tree trunk wearily. Her limbs felt heavy, and it had taken much more effort than it normally did to fly both herself and Bruce clear of the falling Javelin. She closed her eyes, just to rest for a moment –

"Diana!"

Her eyes snapped open. Bruce was next to her, kneeling down. "Stay awake," he commanded. "You could have suffered a brain injury. You need to stay conscious until you get checked out."

Diana nodded slowly. "This is strange," she murmured. "I've never been injured like this before. I can withstand being electrocuted, but I am weakened from a crash? And that's not even the first one I've lived through –"

"I know," Bruce interrupted, "but your heart stopped, Diana. Literally. We don't know what that might have done to you. So stay awake."

Her lips twitched and she replied, "Of course, Batman. Hera forbid I disobey an order."

She was fairly sure Bruce was rolling his eyes beneath his cowl.

Diana managed to keep her eyes open, but was relieved when Javelin IV appeared in the skies above them. The aircraft came to hover just above them and the ramp lowered. Bruce, however, refused to let her fly them up and instead yelled up for Vixen to throw down a rope ladder for them to climb up.

Diana's body still felt strange, but she was determined to get up to the Javelin on her own power. Bruce held the ladder steady for her while she began to ascend it. She looked up and saw Vixen reaching down to her, ready to help her make it the rest of the way up. Diana reached up to take the other woman's hand –

Then everything changed. Again.

* * *

One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten. Breathe into mouth. Bruce kept alternating the chest compressions and giving Diana mouth-to-mouth. Pausing briefly to check for a pulse, there was nothing.

"Damn it, Diana," he growled, "come on!" He continued doing even more chest compressions. Sweat was dripping down from beneath the mask of his cowl. Six-seven-eight-nine-ten. Breathe into mouth. Check for pulse.

Still nothing.

Bruce's breathing was fast becoming ragged. "Diana…" He tried the chest compressions again, probably snapping a few of Diana's ribs in the process.

It was a horrible tableau to watch, and watching it Diana was. She stared, watching Bruce attempting to force life back into _her own body_. His attempts were not going well.

When for the fourth time the motions of CPR did not work, Diana watched Bruce's shoulder's slump. He pulled her body up off the ground, gathering her close to him. "Diana," he whispered, "Diana…" He then started rocking, continuing to mutter her name, over and over.

Diana herself started to tremble just a little bit. Biting her lip, she approached him. Kneeling down, she said, "Bruce, please, I'm right here."

He didn't react at all to her voice, just kept holding her body close to him, his face buried in her hair. "Bruce," she repeated, "Bruce, _please_, don't…" Diana reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder. Her jaw dropped when it fell right through his arm.

_What is this madness?_ She thought, looking around desperately. _I don't understand!_

Bruce, meanwhile, seemed to have regained control of his emotions. He lifted his face from her hair. His face was dry, his breathing had calmed. Slowly, he released his tight grip on her body and lay her down carefully on the ground. He then stood up, his cape falling around his shoulders and encasing his body, as it so often did when he wanted to withdraw inside himself. Bruce's shoulders were hunched forward, and he stared down at her body for some time.

Diana tried several more times to get Bruce's attention, but to no avail. He could not hear her calling to him, nor could he feel her attempts to touch him. She even tried touching her own body, hoping that perhaps physical contact might merge them together again, and allow her to awaken from this nightmare. That too was unsuccessful.

Eventually, another Javelin soared overhead. Bruce finally stopped staring at her body and used a variety of hand-signals, ordering the pilot to land on the beach not far from the crash site. He then picked up Diana's body and started to make his way toward the beach. Diana followed.

Javelin IV had already landed by the time they arrived. The ramp lowered as they approached and both Vixen and Green Lantern rushed down it, the former holding a first-aid kit in her hands. Diana watched them freeze, shock falling over their faces.

"Batman," John started, "what –"

He was cut off when Bruce just marched right past them, not saying a word as he bore Diana's limp body up the ramp and into the Javelin. The first-aid kit slid from Mari's fingers to the ground and her other hand covered her mouth. Her eyes were wide.

Sensing she was likely hoping in vain, Diana nevertheless called out, "Lantern, Vixen? Can you hear me?" Like before, they did not respond in anyway to her. Shoulders slumping, Diana followed the two up the ramp. She certainly couldn't do anything if she was left behind on this Hera-forsaken beach.

Bruce had seated himself in the back of the Javelin on one of the benches. He had yet to relinquish Diana's body. Diana observed Vixen scoot around him, her eyes glassy. John paused in Vixen's wake, reaching out tentatively and resting his hand briefly on the top of Diana's head. Bruce stiffened, but otherwise did not react. His posture only relaxed when John moved to join Vixen at the front of the aircraft, leaving him alone.

Diana bit her lip, wanting to reach out and touch him but knowing it would do no good. Defeated for the moment, she sat down next to him, trying not to think too hard about her dead body lying in his lap just inches away from her. It wasn't natural.

Up at the front of the Javelin, Diana could hear Vixen contacting the Watchtower.

"_We hear you, Javelin IV. Report."_

Vixen's voice was shaking. "Green Lantern and I retrieved Wonder Woman and Batman. She… Wonder Woman is dead."

There was no immediate answer, but Diana could hear a sharp intake of air over the channel. _"A-Acknowledged. Infirmary is on stand-by."_

The trip up to the Watchtower passed in silence and without incident. Bruce continued to stare straight ahead, not looking down at Diana's body but not letting her out of his arms either. While waiting for them to arrive at their destination, Diana struggled to figure out her next step. None of the others present could sense her presence, no matter what she did to catch their attention. She could guess that the same would occur if she tried to interact with the other members of the League... unless…

J'onn. Diana recalled the end of the Cadmus Crisis, when they thought that the destruction of Brainiac within Lex Luthor's body had cost Flash his life. For many harrowing seconds, they had thought Wally was dead, until J'onn's telepathy had picked up on Wally's fading mind, giving them enough time to pull the young man back from the Speed Force. Perhaps J'onn's telepathic abilities would enable him to sense her much in the same way that he had sensed Wally.

It was a possibility, her best one at the moment. Feeling a renewed sense of hope, Diana looked to the front of the Javelin. They were on their final approach to the Watchtower. Biting her lip, she turned to Bruce, "I know you can't hear me, Bruce, but it's going to be all right soon. J'onn will surely hear me and we can find a way to fix this."

Indeed, Bruce didn't hear her, but Diana still felt a bit better for saying it.

The Javelin landed in the hangar in short order. When the ramp was lowered, Bruce stood up and carried Diana's body down it, John, Vixen, and Diana herself following close in his wake.

Superman, Shayera, and Green Arrow were the only ones waiting for them in the hangar. Diana's heart ached when she saw the raw anguish on her friends' faces. Clark stepped forward, reaching out as though to relieve Bruce of her body, but Bruce merely jerked away from him and continued toward the doors.

"What happened?" Diana heard Shayera demand behind her.

"We don't know," Vixen replied. "He hasn't said a word."

"He probably won't until the official debriefing," Green Arrow spoke up. "He doesn't handle loss well, and his ability to talk about it isn't much better."

_True,_ Diana thought, shaking her head. She watched her friends follow Bruce toward the doors to the hangar. She moved to follow, wishing she could ease their pain –

"I know how you're feeling, my dear."

Diana whirled around, reflexively going into a fighting stance. What she saw, however, made her freeze, shocked to her core. Or rather, _who_ she saw.

The woman in front of her wore the traditional garb of Themyscira, only with a white cape attached at her right shoulder with an elaborate pin, similar to the clothing Diana's mother wore for important gatherings. Her face was beautiful, and her intense green eyes stood out from healthy golden skin. Her red hair was done up in an intricate tower of braids, while a silver coronet was set at the base of those braids, resting on her head.

Diana had never met this woman in all her long years, but she had seen her before. The artisans on Themyscira had recreated this woman's face in many forms, in mosaics, in pottery, and even in portrait painting, though that art was a relatively new one to Themyscira. Diana had heard of this woman in stories told to her as a child by her mother as well as her sisters, most of whom had known her.

"_Andromache,"_ Diana breathed.

Andromache, while known as the wife of Hector, the eldest son of Priam, King of Troy, was far more than what Man's World remembered her to be. She had been an Amazon, one of the few of the sisterhood who chose in ancient times to leave the island and make a life separate from that of her people. When she married Hector, she gave up the immortality gifted to all Amazons. As a result, she had eventually aged and died, though she had lived for many years after the death of her husband at the hands of Achilles.

Andromache offered Diana a kind smile. "I greet you, Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Hippolyta and Princess of the Amazons," she said, bowing her head. "I know of your confusion. We have much to discuss."

Diana glanced at her friends' retreating backs and then back to the other woman. "I believe we do," she said. "May we do so as we follow them?" she requested politely. "I do not wish to abandon them."

A flicker of sadness crossed Andromache's features, but she nodded. "Of course. There is much you should see with them as well." Andromache held out a hand. "Please, lead the way."


	3. Commemorate

**Previously: **_"May we follow them?" she requested politely. "I do not wish to abandon them."_

_A flicker of sadness crossed Andromache's features, but she nodded. "Of course, there is much you should see with them as well." Andromache held out her hand. "Please, lead the way."_

* * *

**Fine Lines**

Diana had to hurry to catch up with the rest of the League. A voice inside her mind that sounded eerily like her mother chided her for her rudeness to Andromache for making the woman jog to keep up with her, but Diana could not bring herself to care. All of this was overwhelming, and as great an honor as it would be to speak with Andromache, Diana wanted things back to normal, where her friends were not mourning her _death_, of all things.

By the time she made it to the infirmary, Bruce was carefully laying her body on one of the beds. J'onn stood on the other side of the bed, one of his diagnosis machines already set up next to him.

Relief swept through Diana. "J'onn," she called, slipping past Clark, Shayera, John, Vixen, and Green Arrow. "J'onn, thank Hera you're here!"

When the Martian didn't react to her words, something tightened in Diana's stomach. "J'onn!" Diana repeated, more loudly this time. J'onn's attention remained on her body as he hooked it up to the diagnosis machine.

"I performed CPR for nearly ten minutes," Bruce said out loud, his voice rigid and unemotional. "She never regained consciousness."

Silence permeated the infirmary for several minutes. Then J'onn said quietly, "Time of death is determined to be at seventeen hundred hours thirty-one minutes. Let it reflect in the records."

Frustration filled Diana. She had placed her hopes on J'onn sensing her presence, but it didn't seem to be working. She moved over to stand next to the Martian, and shouted his name again, right in his ear.

J'onn didn't even flinch.

Diana swore under her breath.

A chuckle caught her attention and she turned around. Andromache stood next to an unaware Shayera, her lips twitching in amusement. "My apologies," she said, "but I think such language would invite comment from the more conservative of our sisters. At least, in my time it certainly would have."

Diana stared at her for several moments, and eventually decided not to comment. "I don't understand," she said instead. "I thought that if anyone here could sense me, it would have been J'onn…"

Andromache's entertained expression faded then, and was replaced by one far more solemn. She opened her mouth, but was cut off when Diana's attention was caught by Clark, who had begun speaking.

"We… we'll need to make arrangements," he said, running his hand shakily through his black hair. He turned to Shayera. "Shayera, can you take a Javelin to Themyscira? Queen Hippolyta and the Amazons need to be made aware of… what's happened. It should come from one of the Founders, and you're probably the only one they won't try to kill on sight."

_Not true_, Diana thought. _Batman, Superman, J'onn, and the Flash are heroes of Themyscira and would be given leave to walk on Amazon soil._ Still, Clark was right. It was probably best that the news come from another woman, and Shayera was the only female Founder aside from Diana herself.

Shayera's eyes were brighter than normal as she looked over at Diana's body, but she nodded. She did not move at once, but when John put a cautious hand on her shoulder, Shayera reacted as though she had been stung and she quickly left the infirmary, not looking at him or anyone else.

Clark ignored the tense exchange between the two as well as the pained expression on Vixen's face and turned to Green Arrow. "We should hold some kind of memorial service," he said. "The League will need closure."

Oliver Queen nodded. "Then we should probably do it within the next few days. The Amazons are likely going to want to… lay Diana to rest on Themyscira, so it should happen before then."

"Agreed," Clark replied. Diana watched him look over at Bruce hesitantly, perhaps waiting for him to add something, but Bruce remained silent. Shaking his head slightly, Clark and Oliver left the infirmary, John and Vixen following close behind.

J'onn removed the diagnosis machine and returned it to its proper place. He too moved to leave, but as he walked past Bruce, the Martian stopped and looked at him solemnly. Neither said anything, and Diana quickly deduced that the two were speaking within their minds. She found herself yearning to know what words J'onn had for Bruce, but the moment was over as quickly as it began, and J'onn walked out of the infirmary.

Bruce had not moved from the bedside since he'd entered the infirmary. Diana had watched him stare down at her body in silence, his expression betraying nothing of what he was feeling. His arms hung limply at his sides, his cape draped around him almost protectively.

Several moments passed, and then he too left, leaving Diana alone with her body and Andromache. Diana's shoulders slumped. She honestly did not know what to do next. Her friends were accepting her demise, and she had nothing she could do to inform them that she was still very much there.

A hand on her shoulder caught Diana's attention. She looked up to see Andromache had moved to stand next to her. "I am sorry, Diana," she said softly. "I know you were hoping that your friend would be able to help you out of this."

"I…" Diana paused and took a deep breath. "I don't understand why he didn't hear me. He sensed Flash…"

"What happened to him was different," Andromache stated. "The speed he had driven his body to pushed him into a different plane, or more like a bridge to a different plane. He had not crossed over, which was why your alien friend was able to feel his presence."

Diana stared at the other woman. "I suppose that makes sense," she said slowly. Nonetheless, she eyed her suspiciously. "It does not explain how you know all of that. Forgive my impudence, but you have been dead for millennia."

Andromache nodded. "True. However, those who sent me to you… informed me of your dealings in Man's World. Including your battles with the one called Lex Luthor and Cadmus."

Diana considered her words, and then nodded. It made sense. "Who sent you then?" she asked. "And why?"

Sadness crossed Andromache's regal features. "The gods sent me, Diana," she told her quietly. "You died in that crash."

Diana could feel her blood draining from her face. "No," she whispered, her eyes turning back to her body. She shook her head. "It's not possible. If I had died, I would have gone to the Underworld, into the care of Persphone. I wouldn't be here…" _Watching my friends suffer,_ she thought._ Watching _Bruce…

"Indeed, Diana, you shouldn't be here, watching this… distressing spectacle," Andromache assured her. "The gods are not entirely certain what happened. They believe that the unexpected nature of your… demise may have caused this."

"Explain."

Andromache began to pace in front of her. "Amazons are immortal, and gifted by the gods. They are not meant to die. You are especially so, given the circumstances of your birth," she said. "It is thought that a combination of the suddenness of your death as well as the many gifts granted to you from the gods that kept your soul from entering the Underworld."

Diana shook her head, trying to make sense of it all. It was madness, it had to be. She couldn't be _dead_, of all things.

"Given the unusual nature of what has happened, Persphone felt that it would be best to send someone prepare you. She felt that a fellow Amazon would be the best person to do so." Andromache smiled weakly. "That left either Penelope or I as the top candidates."

Diana thought that perhaps Andromache's words were meant to be a comfort to her, but they were not having that effect. How could they? She didn't _feel_ dead, and certainly she would _know_ if she was dead. This… for all that Diana could stare at her body lying just a few feet away, it just didn't _feel_ right.

"There's still so many reasons to live," Diana said softly. She glanced at the infirmary's door. "Mother, my sisters, my friends in Man's World…" How could she abandon them? It was not in her – in any Amazon – to simply give up.

"I understand, my dear," Andromache stated, leaning against an empty bed. "I truly do, better than almost any Amazon could." She smiled sadly. "I know what it is to love someone for reasons other than the bonds of friendship and sisterhood."

Diana looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

The other woman stared at her kindly. "I am not blind to the feelings you exhibit toward the dark one, nor am I unaware of his grief." She sighed and her eyes grew distant. "I too loved a man, something most Amazons abhor. Hector… completed me in a way that no other had ever done. I do not regret a moment of our time together, even though it was incredibly short thanks to the foolishness of Paris and the discord sewn by Eris." Andromache's voice was full of sympathy. "It is no sin to love your dark knight, Diana, no matter what the other Amazons might tell you."

Diana closed her eyes. She had never considered that her feelings for Bruce might be so transparent. It was no secret from J'onn, of course, and she was fairly certain that Clark knew of it, as did John and perhaps Shayera. Despite her seeming confidence in her attempts to convince Bruce that a relationship between them was possible, she had been assailed with apprehensions of her own, mainly in the thoughts of how her mother and sisters might react. Though she would not be the first to do so, taking a man for a lover was severely frowned upon, though there were no strict laws against it, as Andromache and Penelope's actions in ancient times indicated. Still, the opinions of Diana's mother and sisters mattered a great deal to her.

"Diana." She opened her eyes again to find Andromache standing right in front of her. The other woman took her hands. "Hector traveled to Elysium and waited for me there. Now it is your time to do the same. You can wait for your beloved to join you." She smiled. "Have no doubt that he will be admitted there one day. He is a great favorite of Nemesis, and she rewards those who toil on her behalf."

Diana didn't answer at first. "Honored Andromache," she replied after several moments, "I see the wisdom in your words, but… it is hard. I am not ready to leave. I don't _want_ to leave." She looked around at the empty infirmary, her eyes resting on the doors.

Andromache's green eyes were full of sympathy as she squeezed her hands. "I know you do not, Diana," she said, "but you will in time. You wish to stay to watch over your friends, an understandable desire. However, you would be condemning yourself to a cold, lonely existence. No one to offer you companionship, you will be consigned to watching them move on with their lives while you remain in this… state of limbo." She sighed. "That, though, is only the emotional pain you will subject yourself to. Though your physical form has been shed, your soul can still suffer a great deal of damage if you stay too long. Please, Diana, come with me."

Diana shook her head. "No. Not yet."

The other woman's lips tightened, but she nodded. "Very well," she conceded. "We will move ahead then."

Diana cocked her head. "Move ahead? What do you mean?"

Andromache did not reply, but Diana got her answer nonetheless. The scene around her had changed. No longer were they in the infirmary, but in the main atrium of the Metro Tower.

"What just happened?" Diana demanded, looking around sharply. "How did we get here?"

Andromache did not appear concerned. "In the state we are in, time does not necessarily have to pass in the same fashion as on the mortal plane. We've merely jumped ahead a few days."

Diana examined her surroundings. The atrium had clearly been decorated for a ceremony of some kind. Rows and rows of chairs had been set up, all facing a small altar where a capsule had been placed. A lectern had been positioned to the capsule's left. She looked at the banners that had been hung up throughout the atrium. Black ones with the symbol of the Justice League, silver ones with the golden badges of Themyscira, as well as others representing individual nations, such as the United States and Kasnia, were all hanging down from the high ceiling. Something churned inside her stomach as she walked down the central aisle, not even bothering to see if Andromache followed her.

The capsule was actually a casket, Diana discovered as she moved closer to it, and an open one at that. Her body was inside, no longer wearing the armor of Athena, but the formal white attire that she wore as a princess and warrior of Themyscira. Her winged coronet had also been added to the golden tiara that went with her normal apparel. Her eyes were closed and her hands were folded neatly over her stomach.

Diana shuddered and clenched her fists. This wasn't right. This shouldn't be happening. She clung to those feelings as tightly as she could.

Footsteps brought her out of her revere and Diana looked behind her. It was Bruce. Clad in his uniform and the cape folded over his shoulders, he looked much the same since she had last seen him, completely shrouded and shielded from the world around him. He approached the casket, right where Diana was standing and she instinctively stepped out of his way.

Bruce stared down at her still form for several seconds, not moving. Suddenly, one of his hands left the cover of his cape and smoothed over her hair. Diana found her breath hitching in her throat. Were the recent events catching up to her, she wondered? Perhaps witnessing Bruce's actions were driving everything home for her. To most, what he was doing meant very little, was maybe even trite, but this was _Bruce_. That he was doing _anything_ spoke volumes of his pain.

It must have been so. When he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering brokenly, "Diana…"

Diana's hand flew to her mouth, stifling a small cry.

What was _wrong_ with her? She remained steadfast in her determination to remain with her friends, to do what she could for them, and yet, seeing Bruce's pain and the grief of her friends, it was torture, just as Andromache had warned her. Something in her yearned to run as fast as she could to get away from it, to escape it.

The sound of voices approaching broke the moment, much to Diana's relief. Bruce backed away from the casket and moved into the shadows cast by the many banners. Seconds later, the doors opened and the members of the League began to file in. The five remaining Founders led the way in and they began to take the seats in the front row. Following them were various other people that Diana knew, those not in the League. Audrey was there, draped in black with a thin veil coming down over her black hat. Nicodemus was next to her, and following him was Steve Trevor, of all people, accompanied by his daughter, Jenny, whose arm he used to help keep his balance as he walked. The rest of the League began to fill up the rows behind them, Diana even spotting Huntress sitting next to Question in about the fifth row. No one said a word about the empty seat between Clark and John, though it was highly noticeable.

Bruce stayed in the shadows. She wasn't sure if anyone other than her even noticed his presence.

Once everyone was seated and settled, J'onn stood up and walked over to the lectern, turning to face the substantial audience.

"Today we gather here to honor the person and soul of Diana, daughter of Hippolyta, and Princess of the Amazon Nation. It is distressing that we gather together like this only in times of great sorrow," he said, "but it is fitting nonetheless that we come together to share our memories of Diana. Through us, she may live on as we continue the battles she fought to preserve this world."

After those few simple words, J'onn backed away from the lectern and returned to his seat. He was replaced by John, his face as solemn and severe as Diana had ever seen it.

"I met Diana during the invasion of the Imperium," John began. A faint smile passed over his lips briefly. "I believe my first words when I saw her were: "Who's the rookie in the tiara?"" A few people in the crowd chuckled softly. "Yes, I'm sure you can imagine how she would have reacted to that kind of thing." His expression regained its seriousness and he continued.

"I'm pretty sure we grated on each other's nerves after that for a while. As far as I was concerned, she was the newbie with some serious impulse-control problems. We clashed over it more than once at the time. It wasn't until things were at their worst that I realized I'd been wrong. Sure, at the time she lacked experience in the 'saving the world' business, but she brought experiences and skills of her own to the table, and those helped save our lives." John glanced at the casket. "You were no rookie, Diana," he said quietly. "You were – are – one of the best of us. I'm just sorry I never really told you that."

John left the lectern at that point, stopping by Diana's casket and resting his hand atop her own folded ones for several moments. Diana couldn't resist reaching out to him. Her hand passed through his shoulder, unsurprisingly, but she still whispered, "Thank you, John." She had always remembered their early clashes and they had piqued her pride for quite a while, but to know that his opinion of her had risen meant a great deal.

John stepped back and returned to his seat. At the same time, Shayera stood up and took his place at the lectern, her face set in solemn lines just as John's had been. However, Diana could see the Thanagarian's eyes, always expressive in their own way, and the volatile emotions rolling in them.

"It took a lot of time for Diana and me to understand each other," Shayera said. "In those early years of the Justice League, we were a lot alike – more inclined to beat the bad guys silly first and ask questions later – and with tempers like that, it was hard to really endure each other for long periods of time. Still, I like to think we became friends of a sort for a while, until… well, until I forgot what was more important than any mission – saving lives."

Shayera paused and took a deep breath. "Things were pretty bad between us for a long time, probably longer than they should have been." She gave a weak grin. "We were both really stubborn, and neither of us were inclined to apologize, but when you go to hell and back – literally – together, it helps you to remember the important things. Staying angry at each other by then served no purpose but to assuage our wounded prides. Things started to get better after that." She stopped for a moment and then added softly, "I just wish… we'd had more time."

The Thanagarian followed John's earlier example and stopped at the casket to place her hand on Diana's. In addition to that, though, Shayera whispered, "Goodbye, sister."

A few tears slipped past Diana's defenses, and she did not bother to brush them away.

_And you, sister,_ she thought silently.

A few others came up to speech, but the ceremony ended when Wally very nearly broke down at the lectern while recounting an incident in the Watchtower kitchen involving Diana's first iced mocha. Clark and Shayera both moved to lead Wally back to his seat and J'onn offered a few concluding words. Everyone broke into groups after that, speaking quietly. Diana longed to offer some kind of comfort to Wally, who was still near to the point of tears, but she was reassured with J'onn, Clark, Shayera, and John surrounding him.

She looked into the more shadowed areas of the room again. Bruce still stood there, alone, his arms folded over his chest.

"Have you seen enough, Diana?" Andromache asked from behind her. Diana nearly jumped, having forgotten the other woman's presence. "Or do you wish to subject yourself to further suffering on your loved ones' behalf?" The former Amazon's voice was unusually harsh.

The scene changed again and Diana once again found herself looking upon a familiar sight.

Themyscira, in the forum at the center of the city.

Her sisters were gathered together, forming up a large honor guard around a landed Javelin. The ramp lowered to the ground and a group of women walked down, carrying a now familiar-looking casket. Diana recognized Shayera and Vixen at either side of the coffin's head, Black Canary and Huntress in the middle, and Dr. Light and Zatanna at the foot. The six of them took the casket forward, stopping before Diana's mother.

Diana struggled not to gasp when she saw her mother. She had never seen her look so pale, not even when she had banished Diana from Themyscira. Her eyes were surrounded by dark circles, and she simply looked… _older_ than Diana had ever seen her.

"I thank you," Hippolyta said quietly, "for bringing my daughter home." Her eyes, however, were on Diana's body. No one said anything when she stepped in between Vixen and Black Canary to gently touch Diana's cheek. Her fingers rested there and Diana could see her mother's eyes fill with tears. Taking a deep breath, likely to remain calm and collected, Hippolyta stepped back and silently, six of Diana's sisters moved forward, gently taking the casket in hand. They began moving toward the Temple of Athena.

"Rest assured," Hippolyta told female heroes, "Diana will be laid to rest with full honors, beside Penelope, Andromache, and her other fallen sisters." She then swept after the others.

The heroes slowly began to make their way back toward the Javelin, but Diana watched Shayera stop and look back toward Athena's temple. A breeze caught her auburn hair, blowing several strands across her face. Her green eyes were awash with tears. Then she too left.

Diana could restrain her own grief no longer. She knelt on the ground of Themyscira, her face buried in her hands as she wept in silence. This hurt… _so much_, watching her friends mourn, seeing and almost _feeling_ their agony. Bruce enduring his pain in cold silence, refusing any kind of comfort, Wally's distress, Shayera's tears, and all the rest… it was _too much_.

Comforting hands came to rest on her shoulders and Diana could feel Andromache kneeling beside her. "Diana, child," she said, "please, stop torturing yourself. Please, come with me to Elysium and find the peace you so richly deserve. Your friends, your family, they would not wish you to put yourself through such pain, not on their behalf."

Diana forced herself to look up, wiping the tears from her face. Andromache's face was full of compassion and understanding, but what caught her attention was the light that had appeared behind the other woman. It was so calm, so inviting…

"It's time to go, Diana," Andromache whispered.

Her shoulders dropped slightly and Diana finally surrendered. "What must I do?" she asked.


	4. Battle

**Note: **Here we have it -- the concluding chapter! Enjoy!

_Previously: "It's time to go, Diana," Andromache whispered._

_Her shoulders dropped slightly and Diana finally surrendered. "What must I do?" she asked._

* * *

Andromache stared at her searchingly. "You must release your burdens," she said simply after several moments.

Diana returned the stare and then forced herself to stand up, pulling Andromache with her. "And how am I to do that?" she asked.

"Accept that your part in the doings and workings of the world is done, that you cannot influence it any further," the other woman instructed as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Let it go on its way, and trust that the world can take care of itself without you standing over it like an overprotective mother." She smiled faintly.

Diana nodded. "I see," she said.

It wasn't as difficult as she thought it might be. As she thought of the people she loved – her mother, her sisters, her friends… Bruce – Diana carefully forced herself to think about them in proper prospective. If she did stay in this state, as she had wanted to since discovering the truth, just how much good could she do for them? They could not see, hear, or sense her presence in any way.

_That rules out being Diana the Friendly Ghost,_ a voice inside of her said, sounding suspiciously like Wally.

In all honesty, Diana knew she did not want to leave, but for good or ill…she was dead. There was no going back to where she had come from.

Over the course of her thoughts, Diana hadn't noticed until then that the scene around her – still the forum on Themyscira – had begun to fade. First the colors, then the finer details of the buildings. The light behind Andromache, however, remained as bright as ever.

"It's working, Diana," Andromache murmured. She reached out and stroked Diana's shoulder. "You're almost there. Concentrate."

Diana closed her eyes, cutting herself off from the fading vision of the island of her birth. Perhaps that would help –

* * *

_Dusk was rapidly approaching, though it seemed like it was already night beneath the trees. A cold wind blew through the branches._

_Bruce, J'onn, and Clark knelt above her, all staring down in her direction. _

"_... interfering with her higher brain functions," J'onn was saying, his tones, normally so serene, filled with urgency. "She is fading…"_

* * *

Diana's eyes shot open. "What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?"

Diana looked at Andromache. "I saw..." she hesitated, "I saw my friends. Clark, J'onn, and Bruce… they were standing over me, saying something about my brain and how I was 'fading.'"

Andromache did not answer immediately, and then shook her head, clearly dismissing it. "It's likely that you've begun hallucinating, Diana," she told her. "It could very well be a sign that your presence in this limbo is beginning to have a detrimental effect on your thoughts. We need to hurry." Andromache motioned to the light that still hovered behind her.

Diana found herself wavering, though. Something didn't feel right. "I feel like I'm forgetting something…"

"It's nothing," Andromache assured her. She took Diana's hand in hers and tugged gently, trying to lead her closer to the light.

It didn't work. Diana's previous concentration on "letting go" had been broken. Now she had something new – and far more pleasant, in all honesty – to focus on. Holding her ground, she closed her eyes again.

_J'onn, Bruce, Clark,_ she called silently, _where are you? Where –_

* * *

_The wind continued to howl through the trees. There might even have been the occasional raindrop slipping through the densely-packed leaves._

_The three men were still in the same positions as before._

"_Her brain activity is beginning to stabilize again," J'onn said. He looked up from his medical scanner and stared at Clark and Bruce. "Speak to her, tell her to keep fighting. She –"_

* * *

The vision had ended prematurely, that Diana knew for certain. She found herself back with Andromache. Their surroundings had regained some luster, and Diana could once again make out some of the details of the buildings on Themyscira. Still, that didn't hold her attention for more than a second. Diana's concentration fell onto Andromache.

The woman had changed in some fundamental way. Diana could sense it, almost _see_ it. Before, there had always been a sense of warmth in Andromache's countenance, a true feeling of kindness and understanding. Diana had felt a true kinship with her, this woman who had once been an Amazon of Themyscira and had left to pursue a larger truth beyond the shores of the island. It also helped to know that Andromache understood what it was like to have feelings for a member of the opposite sex, something few Amazons could claim.

All of that had changed now. There was something different in the other woman's face. Something cold, something almost… _alien_. It was unsettling, and alarming. Uneasiness began to take hold in Diana's mind, along with a great sense of frustration.

"I can't see them anymore," she said coldly, staring hard at Andromache. "What. Is. Going. On?"

Andromache appeared to be working to control herself, and her normal expression returned. "Diana," she said, her voice exaggeratedly patient, "I've already told you –"

"No," Diana cut her off. She crossed her arms. "I don't believe a word of it anymore. It does not make sense."

"I… don't know what you are talking about."

Diana fought the urge to growl in frustration. _That's Bruce's method, not mine,_ she thought. "Then let me be perfectly clear," she replied. "If the gods were truly so concerned for the state of my soul, then one of them would have come to see to me themselves. Hermes perhaps, or Athena. Likely even Persphone herself, if what you say is true and I am supposed to go to Elysium." Diana gave Andromache a hard stare. "They certainly would hot have dragged an occupant out of Elysium who had been dead for millennia."

Andromache did not respond, just stared at her with her hands clenched at her sides. Her green eyes, so unlike Shayera's bright ones, grew cold and dark. Staring at the other woman, Diana was disgusted with herself. Had not Bruce's constant warnings of being _skeptical_, of not taking _anything_ at face value stayed with her? She had allowed the stories told about this woman by her mother and sisters to overcome her better judgment.

Diana was sure she would never live down this humiliation.

"Who are you? Really?" she demanded. "You are certainly not Andromache, the woman so honored by my people. So who are you? _Answer me_!"

Andromache finally spoke. "It's true," she admitted, "I am not truly the woman you know as Andromache. I am of a race known as The Watchers."

"What do you want with me?" Diana inquired. "Why this elaborate disguise?" She gestured towards Andromache's appearance.

"Our purpose," Andromache replied, "is to help ease the souls of those who are dying out of the living world, to help them find peace. I chose this form because I felt that it would make your more comfortable."

They were pretty words, Diana acknowledged. It even sounded like a noble cause. Nonetheless, Diana shook her head. "Even if that was true, I am certain that I am not dying. Why are you so insistent that I cross over when I am clearly still tied to my body?"

Andromache's lips thinned and she shook her head. "It's too late now," she said, obviously not intending to answer Diana's questions directly. "Your body is greatly weakened, almost to the point of death." She stared at Diana. "It really would be best if you just came with me now. Save yourself the exhaustion of fighting me."

Diana glared at her. She opened her mouth –

* * *

_J'onn, Bruce, and Clark again. _

"_Come on, Diana," Clark said. "You can do this. You're strong." There was a slim hand held between his, which the Kryptonian was patting in a reassuring manner. "Come back to us, Diana."_

_J'onn glanced up from his scanner and shook his head. "She's fighting, but it's not enough –"_

"_Diana." Bruce's voice was hard, unyielding. "You are an Amazon, the strongest, most powerful of your people. Now act like it, instead of some wilting damsel in distress."_

"_Bruce!" Clark scolded, clearly scandalized._

* * *

Even here, back within the depths of her mind (and there was little doubt that that was exactly where she was), Diana could feel her ears burn. _Must remember to beat Bruce for that comment later,_ she thought.

She turned her attention back to Andromache, who was clearly growing angry. Diana smirked at her. "I can hear them," she told her smugly. "My friends, they're telling me to fight. Who am I to argue?"

Without hesitating, Diana launched herself toward the other woman. She threw a flurry of attacks at Andromache's face, stomach, and legs, using every move she had been taught by her sisters, had learned from repeated sparring sessions with her fellow League members. If she had been fighting someone like Star Sapphire or Tsukuri, it would likely have made for a thrilling and deeply-involved battle.

Andromache, however, did not fight back at all. She stumbled back at the repeated blows, but did not return them.

"Violence is not the answer, Diana," she said, her tone condescending as she wiped away the blood from her split lip. "I am not someone you must defeat."

Diana growled, "I don't have to defeat you, witch. I only have to push you out." She then renewed her attacks, determined not to stop until she won.

_This is _my_ mind,_ she thought venomously. _Fight back or get out!_

Andromache still refused to return the hits and kicks, but Diana refused to stop as her frustration grew. "Fight back, damn you!" she shouted. Diana feinted throwing a kick, and when Andromache finally moved to block, Diana struck her hard in the face, knocking her to the ground. She then knelt over the other woman, pressing her arm forcefully against her neck to hold her in place.

Andromache's hands came up to struggle against Diana's arm, but Diana held firm. Still, she managed to grind out, "You might… not come with… me now, Diana, but you face death every… day… so as long as… you remain with… your little club… of heroes." She sucked in a deep breath, still pulling on Diana's arm. "I… may not get you, but… one of the others… will eventually."

Diana glared at her. Moving quickly, Diana grasped Andromache by the fabric of her clothing and hauled her up, pulling her face close to hers. "Go to Tartarus," Diana snarled. "You and Hades would undoubtedly enjoy each other's company."

Without waiting for any kind of response, Diana lifted Andromache up and hurled her into the still-present light. The moment Andromache hit the light, however, deep, excruciating pain gripped all of Diana's senses. It knocked her to her knees.

She couldn't breathe. Every pore in her body radiated suffering. Her hands clutched at her upper arms, feeling like she needed to crawl out of her skin to escape the agony.

Her ears were ringing. Who was screaming? Was it Andromache?

_Hera, make it stop!_

* * *

Diana's voice was raw when she finally opened her eyes. She barely had time to process that J'onn, Clark, and Bruce were there with her before she felt _something_ slide out of her face. Diana groaned at the surge of new pain, and slumped back when she was finally free, only vaguely aware that J'onn, Clark, and Bruce had flung themselves back away from her.

Her eyes were halfway closed in exhaustion, but Diana still managed to observe what happened next. The… thing hovered above her for several seconds, seemingly studying the three men. Diana stared at it. It was little more than a haze of red-ish mist.

Without warning, it leapt in Bruce's direction. Diana struggled to sit up, to stop it, but Bruce was obviously prepared. He threw up a containment box to shield his face, and the mist flew right into it. He quickly snapped it shut and pushed a button on the top. A crackling sound reached Diana's ears and she thought she saw a flicker of electricity running around the box.

Bruce looked up, his eyes meeting Diana's. "It's contained."

Diana exhaled a sigh of relief. Clark offered her a hand and she took it, letting him pull her to her feet. "Are you all right?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.

She nodded. "I think so," she replied slowly, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm just… not sure what happened exactly."

Bruce carefully handed the case over to J'onn, and then said, "Something attacked the Javelin, forced us to crash off the coast. You were thrown clear of the wreck, into the branches of the trees. When I got to you, you weren't breathing and your heart wasn't beating."

Diana tried not to flinch, but Bruce noticed the movement. He paused, staring at her silently, and then continued. "I performed CPR until your heart started up again, and then contacted the Watchtower. They beamed J'onn and Kent here down to help."

J'onn spoke up then, adding to the narrative. "I attempted to stabilize you enough that we would be able to take you to the infirmary, but no matter what I did, something kept impeding my progress. My scans showed some kind of entity in your brain, slowly spreading and taking over the higher functions and shutting them down." His eyes glowed in the growing darkness. "Your fighting back forced itself to leave. There was nothing I could do to assist."

_Forgive me, my friend,_ she heard him say in her mind, _for not being able to help you._

_But you did help me, J'onn,_ Diana replied. _I heard you, all of you._

Clark interrupted the silent conversation then, saying, "We should get back to the Watchtower. We'll send a salvage crew down tomorrow, see if we can recover anything of the Javelin. We should also get that thing," he nodded toward the containment box still in J'onn's hands, "into a bigger containment field. The box's charge will only last about an hour."

They contacted the Watchtower and Mr. Terrific beamed them up without delay. Standing on the platform, J'onn turned to Diana and Bruce, who stood beside her. "Both of you should accompany me to the infirmary."

Bruce shook his head and started to say, "I should get back to Gotham –"

The Martian cut him off. "You were in that crash as well, Batman. You should be checked out, and then you may return to your city."

Bruce looked fit to argue further, but Clark just laughed. "Better do as he says, Bruce," he said, grinning. "J'onn can out-stubborn just about anyone, even you."

The lenses in Bruce's cowl narrowed and he glared at the Man of Steel, who merely shrugged and left the room with J'onn. The expectation that Diana and Bruce would follow was loud and clear.

Diana might have laughed herself under other circumstances, but exhaustion still nipped at her from all sides. "Best just get it over and done with," she murmured, stepping off the platform. A moment later, Bruce appeared beside her.

The journey to the infirmary and subsequent examinations were spent in general silence, punctuated only by the occasional question and answer. Finally, they were left alone while J'onn and Clark left to secure entity.

Diana expected Bruce to leave then, his thoughts fully on checking in on Robin and Batgirl as they patrolled Gotham. So she was surprised when he instead came over to where she was still sitting. She had yet to gather the energy to force herself to move to her quarters and get some much-needed sleep.

"For a while we thought you had stopped fighting."

Diana winced and looked down. She didn't bother trying to pretend that she didn't know what he was talking about. "I did, for a little while," she admitted. "That… thing showed me so much… it was all so _real_. I saw people suffering and I… didn't want to stay to watch. I couldn't stand knowing that I was the cause."

"Cause?" he asked. "How?"

"It showed me my funeral… made me think I had already died," she told him. "It was just too much, so I was going to give it what it wanted, just so that I wouldn't have to see people grieve over me."

Bruce did not say anything for several moments. The atmosphere was heavy, saturated with things unsaid, and Diana knew she didn't have the strength to say them at the moment. A part of her doubted that Bruce would _ever_ say them at all, strength or not.

So, to lighten the mood, she forced herself to grin a little at him. "Everything changed, though, when I heard the three of you speaking to me. I think it grew overconfident and you slipped through its manipulations." She gave him a playful glare. "I believe I heard you say something about how I needed to stop acting a damsel in distress." Diana managed to give him a slight nudge. "You do realize you'll pay for that remark the next time we spar, don't you?"

His lips turned upward in a faint smirk. "It did the trick, didn't it? If I had known that insulting you was the way to get you to do something, I would have done it years ago."

"Ass," she muttered, but with no heat. Instead, she just shook her head.

"You should get some rest," he told her. "You can make up elaborate schemes of revenge tomorrow."

Diana snorted. "Oh I intend to. You won't have to worry about that." She gave him a smirk of her own.

_-end-_

* * *

**Final Notes:** Well, there you have it, the end of this short story. I hope everything was cleared up for you. If not, ask what questions you like in your reviews. Now that the entire story is posted, I am able to answer as best I can.

Hope you all enjoyed yourselves!


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